A support on which a macromolecule such as a polypeptide has been immobilized is very useful in a variety of diagnostic and research applications. For instance, such supports can be used to purify substances that bind specifically to the immobilized macromolecule or to detect a substance using the macromolecule as a probe. A common application is in immunoassays, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or sandwich immunoassays. Protein chips and antibody chips are useful for analysis of protein-protein interactions and protein expression profiling. Other uses include chips for high throughput assays, for instance, for identifying potential therapeutics.
There are a number of methods for immobilizing a macromolecule on a support, including passive absorption, polyethyleneimine and EDC/sNHS chemistry. While these methods are useful, there is a need for a method to improve the amount of macromolecule that is immobilized in to a solid support material. This present invention addresses this need.